Mikeysline has issued the plea following a high-profile interview with Harry and Meghan – during which the Duchess of Sussex said that at times she “didn’t want to live any more.”

From its base in Inverness, the charity supports people of all ages in the Highlands who are living with mental health issues or are in emotional distress by offering text, phone and face-to-face support services.

Emily Stokes, Service Manager at Mikeysline, said:

“Although huge leaps forward have been made in the discourse around mental health, it is still sometimes seen as a taboo subject that people are embarrassed to talk about or don’t talk about due to the fear of stigma from others. Meghan’s decision to discuss her struggles so openly is a brave step and serves as a reminder that mental health issues can affect absolutely anyone, no matter what their life may seem like from the outside.

“At Mikeysline, we firmly believe that anyone who is struggling should get the support and assistance they require. People come to us for a wide variety of reasons – including struggles with the pressures of work or studies, bereavement, loneliness and turbulent relationships, to those who have experienced suicidal thoughts. In the last year, Covid-19 has also placed a great deal of extra pressure on all of our lives which for some people can be more difficult to process.

“No matter the cause of concern, we will never turn anyone away who is looking for help. We know that reaching out can be a daunting prospect, but it is important to remember that it’s ok not to be ok – and that we are always here to listen.”

Since 2015, Mikeysline has offered confidential, non-judgemental support for those with mental health issues or in emotional distress in the Highlands. Although Mikeysline’s drop-in centre in Inverness, The Hive, is currently closed due to government guidelines, the charity offers a call-back service for those who would like to talk in more detail over the phone. The centre will re-open as soon as it is safe to do so. Mikeysline also offers live chat, Twitter and Messenger support – as well as a text line service at 07786 207755. All text-based services remain unaffected during lockdown, meaning these are open every evening. The charity also now provides an additional support service for young people.

Working together to prioritise mental health awareness amongst employees

Mikeysline and Morrison Construction are delighted to confirm that they will be working in  partnership to help highlight and prioritise mental wellbeing and support for employees within Morrison Construction.

Joint work will also focus on key messages around the importance of people feeling able to speak out at an early stage when they are struggling and to access support as needed. This in turn will aim to help breakdown the stigma that is often associated with being able to talk openly about mental health and thoughts of suicide.

Morrison Construction will also support with wider awareness of Mikeysline to encourage others to access support, which will include promoting Mikeysline’s logo on all of their vans and helping Mikeysline to get their messages out in more remote local communities as they work on projects in these areas.

Donald Mclachlan, Managing Director of Morrison Construction said: “Morrison Construction consider mental health awareness and well being to be a priority not only for our own workforce but also our wider supply chain and the communities we engage with.

We believe that a partnership with Mikeysline is the best way to promote our aim of increasing the visibility of mental heath and highlight the assistance that is available locally and we look forward to developing our relationship  going forward.”

Emily Stokes, Service Manager, Mikeysline said:  “ We are delighted to have the opportunity to work more closely with Morrison Construction and their staff groups and can really see the benefit of this partnership in being able to reach more people directly and raise awareness of the support we can provide. 

One of our priorities in the year ahead, given the impact that 2020 will have had on many people’s wellbeing, is to develop partnerships with employers, particularly in industries where traditionally individuals may have found it more difficult to access support for a variety of reasons. We are delighted to be at this stage already with Morrison Construction.”

Mikeysline launch new pilot support service aimed at young people, in particular secondary school age pupils across Highland 

On 1st February, Mikeysline, are set to launch a brand-new service to help young people experiencing emotional distress and or mental health issues. February will see the start of the pilot programme aiming to encourage young people to reach out for support if they are struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings and their mental health in general.

What will it offer?

The service will offer one-on-one support alongside a safe place to talk and young people can be signposted or referred to further support if needed. As well as this, Mikeysline are aiming to teach coping strategies to help regulate emotions, where this will be helpful to the individual.

The 1st of February also marks the start of Children’s Mental Health Week, there has arguably never been a more important time to support young people’s mental wellbeing. 

Whether it be home schooling or a lack of social interaction, the pandemic has added extra pressures onto the already stressful life of a young person. The service is mainly aimed at those in secondary schools in need of assistance.

How will it be delivered?

Due to the ongoing pandemic, support will be offered remotely with a view to also offering face to face sessions when this is possible. These will be held at the Hive, 19 Academy Street, Inverness, Mikeysline’s base.

The programme has been funded by the Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Reach Grant as well as through funding from HIE’s Communities Recovery Fund. The initial service will run for a year, with the aim and hope that the charity can gain further finance to continue it.

When will it operate?

This resource will operate from Monday to Thursday at 4-5:40pm as well as Friday and Saturday running from 2pm-5:30pm. Out-with these times, young people are encouraged to use Mikeysline’s text-based support options. Until an online booking system is underway, young people can contact Mikeysline via email at yp@mikeysline.co.uk to book an appointment.